| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Shadowsoul
Senior Scribe
Ireland
705 Posts |
 Posted - 30 Aug 2015 : 16:32:36
|
Why are there so many 'non-FR' people dealing with the current Forgotten Realms? I thought they actually took notice with happened during 4th edition and decided to bring back as much FR as possible.
You would think we would see more familiar authors involved.
|
“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
#8213; J.R.R. Tolkien
*I endorse everything Dark Wizard says*. |
|
|
Eltheron
Senior Scribe
740 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2015 : 20:09:19
|
quote:
Originally posted by Shadowsoul
Why are there so many 'non-FR' people dealing with the current Forgotten Realms? I thought they actually took notice with happened during 4th edition and decided to bring back as much FR as possible.
You would think we would see more familiar authors involved.
Could be any number of reasons, really.
Perhaps established former contributors might cost too much. Or they might be less willing to go along with a particular product vision. Or they may simply feel that doing so would be backward-looking rather than forward-looking. Who knows?
WotC has certainly established a very specific vision for D&D, where the brand is somewhat generic in an attempt to appeal across various multimedia (MMO, isomorphic cRPG, PnP RPG, cards, mobile apps, comics, novels, etc).
Previous part-time designers just might not fit into their current vision, such as it is.
|
"The very best possible post-fourteenth-century Realms lets down those who love the specific, detailed social, political and magical situation, with its thousands of characters, developed over forty years, and want to learn more about it; and those who'd be open to a new one with equal depth, which there just isn't time to re-produce; and those repelled, some past the point of no return, by the bad-taste-and-plausibility gap of things done to the world when its guardianship was less careful."
--Faraer |
 |
|
|
Veritas
Learned Scribe
209 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2015 : 21:01:01
|
| How many Kobolds do I have to slay to get another Elaine novel? |
|
|
|
Cards77
Senior Scribe
USA
746 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 00:09:41
|
| My theory is they've burned so many bridges in the last several years, we'll be lucky to ever see many of our favorites authors names on a WotC FR product again. We keep hearing of all these different things in the works, and all these things/areas/people can't be discusse due to NDAs but what really ever sees the light of day? |
|
|
|
sfdragon
Great Reader
2285 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 03:44:49
|
because wotc hates the setting and want to ruin it even more to get the wowtards to play it over world of Warcraft.
no in all seriousness I have no clue |
why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power
My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234 |
|
|
|
TBeholder
Great Reader
2428 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 03:56:57
|
quote:
Originally posted by Shadowsoul
Why are there so many 'non-FR' people dealing with the current Forgotten Realms? I thought they actually took notice with happened during 4th edition and decided to bring back as much FR as possible.
You would think we would see more familiar authors involved.
But that's the whole point.
It's publisher-driven now, and as such exists to be turned into more fake cheese, PSAs and ads for miniatures and other merchandise. Hence dumbing down and much the same spite toward fans as from "old good" Lorraine Williams, just with a disposable plastic smile.
Just like with everything else. Oligopolistic publishers currently are the main enemies of anything resembles art more than meaningless rap bubblegum.
I don't see "bring back" so far, either. It's yet to go beyond "suckers somehow noticed that we gave them a stack of blank paper and are upset - let's insert two more real notes on top this time, this will mollify them!" reaction. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
|
|
|
Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 05:44:51
|
I think most of the 'old guard' have gone onto other things now.
Doesn't mean most of us don't still love the Realms, it just means things just aren't the same anymore (for a LOT of reasons).
You want to play D&D? Fine, then buy the 5e stuff - its fun, trust me. If you are looking for that sort of 'deep lore' that FR used to have, its just not gonna happen. The PF stuff is getting pretty deep by now, but its still nowhere on the level the FR stuff was. There are other settings as well - I hear there's a German one even more detailed then FR.
Or you could just wait around and see if Mr Greenwood still has some magic under that old hat of his (okay... he doesn't wear a hat... but I was going with the Frosty Quote). A little bird told me that the Edverse is gonna be a bucket load of amazing when it starts pumping-out product. If FR isn't grabbing you anymore, then give something new a try. New is good. If my brother-in-law (and his group) hadn't 'forced' me to run the ebil 'Realms' setting way back when for them, I'd still be trying to run my beloved Greyhawk... for people who never heard of it. Change can be good. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
|
|
|
|
Eltheron
Senior Scribe
740 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 16:04:00
|
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I think most of the 'old guard' have gone onto other things now.
Or they have chosen to stick with a truncated or modified previous version of the Realms (rejecting certain parts, ideas, or even entire edition histories).
quote:
Doesn't mean most of us don't still love the Realms, it just means things just aren't the same anymore (for a LOT of reasons).
But it may mean that many are using or identify with a Realms that doesn't exist any longer.
quote:
You want to play D&D? Fine, then buy the 5e stuff - its fun, trust me.
Or use an older rule set, because those are still D&D.
quote:
If you are looking for that sort of 'deep lore' that FR used to have, its just not gonna happen.
Debatable. Every once in a while, they publish some new Realmslore by Ed that I simply take and insert into my Realms, which is pretty much a modified 2E Realms where the ToT didn't happen. |
"The very best possible post-fourteenth-century Realms lets down those who love the specific, detailed social, political and magical situation, with its thousands of characters, developed over forty years, and want to learn more about it; and those who'd be open to a new one with equal depth, which there just isn't time to re-produce; and those repelled, some past the point of no return, by the bad-taste-and-plausibility gap of things done to the world when its guardianship was less careful."
--Faraer |
|
|
|
Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 16:18:40
|
quote:
Originally posted by Eltheron
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Doesn't mean most of us don't still love the Realms, it just means things just aren't the same anymore (for a LOT of reasons).
But it may mean that many are using or identify with a Realms that doesn't exist any longer.
People who consider themselves the "Old Guard" have stepped away from the published Realms and stuck with what they believed the Realms to be since the transition from 2E to 3E.
And more power to them. Sticking with what you like about the Realms is not in fact a bad thing. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
|
|
|
Eltheron
Senior Scribe
740 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 17:05:14
|
quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer
[quote]Originally posted by Eltheron
People who consider themselves the "Old Guard" have stepped away from the published Realms and stuck with what they believed the Realms to be since the transition from 2E to 3E.
And more power to them. Sticking with what you like about the Realms is not in fact a bad thing.
Oh, I absolutely agree that sticking with what you like is not a bad thing. For many, it's the best thing to do.
I'm just not sure that the "Old Guard" is really a group, or even all that well-defined. Not everyone liked 2E, and stepped away then (or perhaps partially). Others pick and choose from various editions, while rejecting some (or a lot) of other editions. And that's fine too. But to group everyone who does so as a singular entity (whether "Old Guard" or "Grognards" or something else) is usually a mistake. Labeling people is often the first step in treating them like dirt.
|
"The very best possible post-fourteenth-century Realms lets down those who love the specific, detailed social, political and magical situation, with its thousands of characters, developed over forty years, and want to learn more about it; and those who'd be open to a new one with equal depth, which there just isn't time to re-produce; and those repelled, some past the point of no return, by the bad-taste-and-plausibility gap of things done to the world when its guardianship was less careful."
--Faraer |
|
|
|
Gyor
Master of Realmslore
1625 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 17:31:58
|
| What none FR people are handling FR now? |
|
|
|
Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3806 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 17:39:43
|
More than anything else, I'm sad that Ed didn't have a hand in the book that will establish the current state of the Realms. IIRC, one of the things that WotC stated was that Ed would have been at the helm of the setting...
However, Brian Cortijo worked on it, and he is a ''Realms person''. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 31 Aug 2015 17:41:03 |
|
|
|
Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 17:59:47
|
I don't know what WotC's planning. They haven't hired me for anything, despite me making it very clear that I'm available. Still waiting to hear back on at least one pitch, actually.
Heck, I'm going to write more Realms fiction regardless.
Assuming I reach my Extra-Life fundraising goal, that is. 
http://www.extra-life.org/participant/ESdB
And if I do, maybe there will be *more* down the road.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
|
|
|
Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
|
|
Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 19:00:50
|
By 'old guard' I actually meant the old-school designers, like Eric Boyd and Steven Schend. The way I worded that made it seem like I was placing myself among them - MY BAD. I consider myself 'old school', but NOT 'old guard'.
And I've already mentioned the trickle of good FR lore we've seen from ed, Eric, and George. Notice, however, that (except for Ed) those things aren't considered 'official'.
What that means is, the lore a lot of us want is coming from unofficial sources. Its great... but not coming from WotC, which is what I was getting at. My whole point boils done to this: What FR fans want isn't necessarily what FR needs, and what WotC's plans are for it.
And YES, you can continue to use older lore and older editions, and thats fine. I use whatever the hell I want, edition (and setting) be damned. I am not disagreeing with you, Eltheron, I am just trying to explain where I am coming from at this time. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
|
|
|
|
Eltheron
Senior Scribe
740 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 19:19:39
|
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
By 'old guard' I actually meant the old-school designers, like Eric Boyd and Steven Schend. The way I worded that made it seem like I was placing myself among them - MY BAD. I consider myself 'old school', but NOT 'old guard'.
And I've already mentioned the trickle of good FR lore we've seen from ed, Eric, and George. Notice, however, that (except for Ed) those things aren't considered 'official'.
What that means is, the lore a lot of us want is coming from unofficial sources. Its great... but not coming from WotC, which is what I was getting at. My whole point boils done to this: What FR fans want isn't necessarily what FR needs, and what WotC's plans are for it.
And YES, you can continue to use older lore and older editions, and thats fine. I use whatever the hell I want, edition (and setting) be damned. I am not disagreeing with you, Eltheron, I am just trying to explain where I am coming from at this time.
I understand.
Sending you a private message so that certain scribes won't potentially get hyper-offended and lose their minds over the reply.
|
"The very best possible post-fourteenth-century Realms lets down those who love the specific, detailed social, political and magical situation, with its thousands of characters, developed over forty years, and want to learn more about it; and those who'd be open to a new one with equal depth, which there just isn't time to re-produce; and those repelled, some past the point of no return, by the bad-taste-and-plausibility gap of things done to the world when its guardianship was less careful."
--Faraer |
|
|
|
Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2015 : 20:24:48
|
quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer
People who consider themselves the "Old Guard" have stepped away from the published Realms and stuck with what they believed the Realms to be since the transition from 2E to 3E.
I just realized I forgot the Time of Troubles. Thus, I should have written "1E to 2E". |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
|
|
|
Snow
Learned Scribe
USA
125 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2015 : 01:15:06
|
My 2 F.R. tabletop groups have pretty much decided that *we* .... are the new Kingmakers of Canon. And we say that happily! Although it's been stressful since 3.5 ended having to slowly witness the massive upheaval of the F.R. RPG & Novel cultural demographic.
Even though we are the new Loremakers of Canon, we still hold certain scribes and past authors with much respectful and warm-&-fuzzy reverance (as Markus has said, folks like Ed, George, Eric ... as well as Erik, Jeremy, Dazzlerdal, Markus, etc.) in influencing our decisions to implement the new ongoing Canon. We still hope too, that a new generation of F.R. homebrew writers will come along and post new quality lore as we're not beholden to just those names mentioned above.
But yeah .... the new 5E F.R. is not turning out to be cavalcade of breathtaking lore and worldbuilding. We're okay with that though. We've married our new Lore/Canon policy to the more fitting and lushly-complex game mechanics of Pathfinder to make our F.R. Campaign Settings (we have 2 of them - 1 for each group) an awe-inspiring breath of fresh RPG Air. :-) |
|
|
|
Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2015 : 06:56:19
|
quote:
Originally posted by Snow
My 2 F.R. tabletop groups have pretty much decided that *we* .... are the new Kingmakers of Canon. And we say that happily! Although it's been stressful since 3.5 ended having to slowly witness the massive upheaval of the F.R. RPG & Novel cultural demographic.
Even though we are the new Loremakers of Canon, we still hold certain scribes and past authors with much respectful and warm-&-fuzzy reverance (as Markus has said, folks like Ed, George, Eric ... as well as Erik, Jeremy, Dazzlerdal, Markus, etc.) in influencing our decisions to implement the new ongoing Canon. We still hope too, that a new generation of F.R. homebrew writers will come along and post new quality lore as we're not beholden to just those names mentioned above.
But yeah .... the new 5E F.R. is not turning out to be cavalcade of breathtaking lore and worldbuilding. We're okay with that though. We've married our new Lore/Canon policy to the more fitting and lushly-complex game mechanics of Pathfinder to make our F.R. Campaign Settings (we have 2 of them - 1 for each group) an awe-inspiring breath of fresh RPG Air. :-)
This makes me so happy. The King is dead, long live the King.
Here's hoping the Edverse turns out to be a new way for the lore lords to deliver their own take on the realms.
|
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions Candlekeep Archive
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 1
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 2
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 3
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 4
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 5
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 6
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 7
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 8
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 9
Alternate Realms Site |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
So why all the 'non-FR' people handling FR?
